It's a common frustration when the scale won't budge despite diligently tracking food and maintaining a calorie deficit. While weight loss fundamentally relies on consuming fewer calories than you burn, the body's complexity means various factors can stall progress. Inaccurate calorie tracking, often due to underestimated portions or the "healthy halo" effect of certain foods, is a frequent culprit. Furthermore, the body can undergo physiological adaptations like metabolic slowing and increased exercise efficiency, impacting calorie expenditure over time.